I am no legal expert at all, but it seems to me that UOB is saying that it was defrauded by this "conspiracy" of agents, buyers and developer to the tune of $181 million. well, wouldn't its first step be to report the matter to the commercial crimes division of the singapore police? Any fraud or fraud attempt is a matter for the criminal court and not for a civil case. Civil cases are used in matters or commercial and legal disputes, negligence, etc. where no crime was committed. The fact that UOB took the case to a civil court indicates that there was either no crime involved or the matter was investigated by the police and was determined to be non criminal in nature. This point already already puts fire to the the UOB assertion of a criminal conspiracy to commit fraud. They also indicated that the swindle violated MAS laws, well did they file a complain to the MAS? Ravi is surprisingly silent on this point. If the MAS investigated this complain and found that Lippo is at fault, you can expect UOB lawyers to trumpet this fact. But no news from MAS on this.
In singapore civil court, you must prove damages and show how you arrived at this $181 million figure. This is not the American court system whereby as you claim, you sue for maximum amounts and then negotiate to a lesser amount. I believe that Lippo aka Mochtar Riady can probably buy the Wees twice over. They don't need a banking licence in singapore, as they are making so much money on their residential and commercial property developments. A banking license now is a millstone around the neck. the brick and mortar bank branch and deposit taking system is mostly a money losing proposition. banks make very little profit if any on doing mortgages for clients or running their savings or current accounts. Banks are much more profitable servicing wealth management clients. Lippo is smart not to get a banking license. The wees have a close political connection with the Lees, that is the only reason i can think off for the lawsuit to proceed. They are hoping the Lee Con You or his son will invoke the kangaroo court system to whack the riady's like they used the kangaroo court to whack Allan Ng many years ago.